Pump valve



P. S. KENDRICK May 28, 1957 PUMP VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1953 Fig.

. INVENTOR.

BY w

May 28, 1957 P. s. KENDRICK 2,793,596

PUMP VALVE Filed Sept. 4, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Philip .S. Kendrick INVENTOR.

Wynn; 3%

nited States Patent PUMP VALVE Philip S. Kendrick, Abilene, Tex., assignor of twenty-five percent to Wilma K. Lucas and twenty-five percent to Phil S. Kendrick, Jra, both of Abilene, Tex.

Application September 4, 1953, Serial No. 378,464

2 Claims. (Cl. 103-155) This invention relates to a fluid pump, and particularly to a standing valve for such a pump.

In the operation of fluid pumps, it is customary to provide a standing valve and a reciprocating or movable valve for periodically drawing and discharging fluid through the standing valve. It has been a disadvantage of such valves that it is necessary to provide in the reciprocating portion a sealing member which will pass the fluid and also will slide in the pump chamber so that frequently the valve members become worn and it is necessary to withdraw and replace the valves with'new valve members in order to produce a satisfactory pumping action, while the usual standing valve is constructed as an annular valve seat and a metallic ball seated on the annular seat and having a relatively long and useful life.

In the construction according to the present invention, the valve elements are all provided as standing valves and a reciprocatin piston is communicated with the standing valves to cause the flow of fluids through the various valve elements, while the pump cylinder is operated by means of a fluid drive, and retrieved by means of a flexible metallic connection thereby replacing the normal sucker rod drive in wells. This provides a substantially stationary drive which may be of any desired length or may be even curved without serious damage being occasioned by the reciprocation of the usual sucker rod joints.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved pump.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pump having a fluid pressure drive therein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved pump valve.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevation through a pump according to the invention, with parts broken away and in section;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the pump valve according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a vertical elevation through the valve taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical elevation through the valve taken substantially on the plane indicated by section line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the valve body.

In the exemplary embodiment according to the invention, an outer well casing is provided with a casing head 12 in which is suspended the usual pumping tubing 14 for withdrawing fluid from a well. A substantially cylindrical valve body 16 is provided in sealing relation in the tubing 14 and an elongated pumping cylinder 18 is connected in fluid-tight relation to the valve body 16 and is provided with a pumping piston 20 for reciprocating motion in the cylinder 18. A polish rod 22 is provided 2,793,596 Patented May 28, 1957 in sealing relation in the top end of the cylinder 18 which may be, obviously, of any desired length to reach to the bottom of a well of any depth or to communicate with any pumping equipment either vertical or horizontal. The polish rod 22 is connected to the piston 20 by means of a flexible tension member, such as a wire 24. A pressure transmitting fluid, such as oil 26, is placed in the cylinder 18 between the piston 26 and the polish rod 22. The piston 20 may be provided with a plurality of sealing rings 28 and similar sealing rings 30 may be provided on the polish rod 22.

The polish rod 22 will be reeiprocated by means of the usual mule head 34 mounted on the end of a walking beam 36 and having positive drive connections by means of the tension members 38 and 40. The: tension member 38 being connected to one end 42 of the mule head 34 and to a clamp band 44 fixed on the polish rod while the tension member 40 Will be connected to the end 46 of the mule head 34 and connected to the clamp band 43 on the polish rod.

The top end of the cylinder 18 is secured to the top end of the tubing 14 by means of a suitable packing gland 50 having suitable packing material 52 received therein. A filling tube 54 communicates with the cylinder 18 immediately beyond the end of the stroke of the polish rod 22 and may be provided with a filler valve 56 for introducing fluid into the cylinder 18 in the event of leakage therefrom.

The standing valve 16 is provided as a substantially cylindrical elongated vertical body having a threaded recess 60 in its upper end for connection to the lower end of the cylinder 18 to provide a substantially fluid-tight contact therewith. The cylindrical body 16 is preferably constructed as an upper portion 62 containing the recess 60 and a lower portion 64 with the portions being joined together by means of suitable fasteners 66 to provide a rigid valve body which may be separated for a purpose presently to be described.

The lower member 64 is provided with a threaded reduced portion 68 on which is received a collar-like member 70 for connecting the bottom of the valve to any suit-. able supply conduit. A first valve chamber 72 is provided in the valve body with a portion of the valve chamber 72 being on each side of a transverse separating line 74 across which said chamber '72 extends into said upper and lower portions 62, 64 and through a suitable com pressible packing 76 between the portions 62, 64 at said line. One end of the valve chamber 72 is counterbored to provide an enlarged portion 78 in the lower portion 64 in which is seated an annular valve seat dd, one end of which rests on the shoulder 82 adjacent the bottom end of the valve chamber 72, and the top end of the'valve seat being retained in position by means of the normal sized portion of the chamber 72 in the section .62 of the valve body. A ball valve 85 is received in the normal upper section of the valve chamber 72 and normally seats by gravity on the annular valve seat 89 to maintain the same in closed relation. A passage 84 communicates the valve end of the first passage 72 to the recess 60 which is in communication with the piston control cylinder 18. The portion 64 of the valve body 16 is provided with a substantially centrally located opening 86 at the lower end of the valve body which is preferably provided with threads 88 so that a conduit maybe connected therein if desired. A passage 93 communicates with the seat end of the first valve chamber 72 and the opening 86.

A second valve chamber 92 is provided in the valve body 16 and extends across the separable portion 74 and the upper portion of Jthe chamber 92 is provided with .a counterbore 94 in said upper portion 62 to receive second annular valve seat 96 which will be held in position by means of the shoulder 98 of the counterbore and by the normal portion of the chamber 92 so that the valve seat 96 will be retained in the portion 62 of the valve body 16. A second passage 100 communicates the valve seat end of the chamber 92 with the recess 60 which is in com munication with the cylinder 18. A second ball valve 102 is mounted in the lower portion of the chamber 92 and is retained in upwardly seating relation with the seat 96 by means of a suitable resilient element, such as the spring 104 in the second valve chamber 92. A peripheral groove 106 is provided around the valve body 16 and a passage 108 communicates the valve end of the second valve chamber 92 with the groove 106. Longitudinally extending flutes or grooves 110 extend between the peripheral groove 106 and the end of the body 62 adjacent the recess 60 so that the apertures including the opening 86, the passage 90, the valve chamber 72, the passage 84, the recess 60, the passage 100, the valve chamber 92 and the passage 108 together with the peripheral groove 106 and the longitudinally extending flutes 110 provide a passage from one end of the valve body to the other.

A third valve chamber 112 is provided in the body 16 and extending transversely of the separation 74 and having a counterbore 114 in the section 64 retaining an annular valve 116 on a shoulder 118 and having the annular valve seat 116 retained by the reduced bore of the portion of the chamber 112 in the portion 62 of the valve body. A ball valve 120 is received in the reduced portion of the chamber 112 and adapted to seat on the seat 116 by gravity. A passage 122 communicates the seat end of the valve chamber 112 with the end of the valve body adjacent the opening 86. Transverse passage 124 communicates the valve end of the valve chamber 112 with the vertically extending fluting 110.

In the construction of the device, the portions 62 and 64 will be separated by removing the fasteners 66 and the valve seats 80, 96 and 116 will be placed in position, and the balls 85, 102 and 120 placed in position with the diaphragm or packing 76 in place with the ball 102 being mounted on the spring 104, after which the parts will be assembled by reinserting the screw fasteners 66 to rigidly connect the sections together with the packing material 76 maintaining a fluid-tight seal therein. The cylinder 18 will then be screwed into the recess 60, and the valve body will be inserted into the tubing 14 in substantially fluid-tight relation therewith, and the cylinder In the event excess pressure should occur in the well so that the well would flow naturally, the pressure will enter through the passage 122 and in the chamber 112 will lift the ball valve 120 and be discharged directly into the flutes 110 and will flow upwardly through the tubing 14 and out through the connecting tubing 130. Obviously, in the event the pressure is greater than can be relieved by the valve chamber 112, the excess pressure will lift the ball valve 84 and depress the ball valve 102 and also flow out through the passage 108 and the flutings 110 so that maximum flow of fluid through the valve will be obtained.

For purposes of exemplification, a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, and described according to the best present understanding thereof.

However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts thereof without departing from the true spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a pump having a pump cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, and a tubing surrounding and spaced from the downwardly on said seat, said upper portion having a 18 will be extended to any suitable length as may be necessary, after which the piston 20 will be inserted therein and the wire 24 connected thereto, after which the piston will be lowered into the well with the wire 24 being connected to the lower end of the polish rod 22 and of the necessary length to properly connect the two together. As the piston is lowered into the cylinder 18, the suitable fluid will be introduced thereinto to maintain the cylinder 18 full of fluid until the polish rod 22 is inserted therein. In the event there should be a loss of fluid in the cylinder 18, the valve 56 may be utilized to introduce fluid either under pressure or otherwise as may be desired to make up for the leakage. The lifting of the polish rod 22 by the mule head 34 will transmit the pressure through the tension member 24 and elevate the piston 20 so that fluid will be drawn into the cylinder 18 by means of the passage including opening 86, the passage 90, the valve chamber 72, the passage 84 and the recess 60. Upon the reverse stroke of the mule head 34, the polish rod 22 will be pushed into the top of the cylinder 18 so that the fluid transmitting medium 26 will push down the piston 20 so that the fluid in the recess 60 and the cylinder 18 will be discharged through the passage 100, the valve chamber 92, the passage 108, the annular groove 106 and the fiutings 110. This fluid will be discharged into the interior of the tubing 14 and move upwardly therethrough and be discharged through a suitable connection 130.

passage therein communicating said first valve chamber above said first valve with said cylinder, said valve body having a second valve chamber therein extending across said line of juncture into said upper and lower portions, a second annular valve seat in said second valve chamber and said upper portion, a second ball valve in said second valve chamber seating upwardly against said second valve seat, a spring in said second valve chamber yieldingly seating said second ball valve, said upper portion having a second passage therein extending from said second valve seat and communicating said second valve chamber with said first named passage, said lower portion having a longitudinal third passage therein extending from the first valve seat and communicating said first valve chamber with the exterior of said body, said lower portion having a peripheral groove intermediate its ends with which said second valve chamber communicates, said peripheral groove communicating with the tubing.

2. The combination of claim 1, said valve body having a third valve chamber therein extending across said line of juncture and having upper and lower ends extending into said upperand lower portions, a third ball valve seating in the lower end of said third chamber, said lower portion having another passage therein communicating the lower end of said third valve chamber with the exterior of said valve body, and said upper portion having an opening therein communicating the upper end of said third chamber with the exterior of said body and thereby with said tubing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Coberly May 25, 1937 

